A terrible tragedy in Vaucluse: a 17-year-old young footballer suddenly collapsed on the field during an amateur match and unfortunately succumbed to his cardiac distress.
Amateur football is in mourning after a tragedy that occurred Wednesday night in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. During an amateur match played in Gard, a 17-year-old young footballer suddenly collapsed on the pitch, victim of a cardiac incident. Despite a swift response from emergency services and an evacuation to the hospital, the player did not survive and passed away the following day, plunging an entire club and region into shock.
The young man played for FC Alpilles in the U19 category. He had been with the club for about ten years and was universally loved by his teammates, coaches, and club officials. Deeply affected, the management of FC Alpilles immediately decided to cancel all matches scheduled for this weekend and to set up a psychological support unit to help players and families through this ordeal.
The pain is immense for the club’s close ones. “This is a tragedy for us, for the club, for his family. He was like our child. We don’t understand, he had no health issues,” said Mario Nardeli, the president of FC Alpilles, still in shock. His words are heavy with sadness, reflecting the confusion surrounding such a tragedy.
The reaction from the Grand Vaucluse Football District
The Grand Vaucluse Football District also reacted, announcing the postponement of the U19 championship matches scheduled for this weekend. “Playing a sport, playing football is about having fun, making friends, experiencing strong emotions, creating extraordinary memories… But surely not about facing death,” the organization wrote on its social media. A minute of silence will be observed on all other fields to honor the young player who has passed away.
Beyond Vaucluse, it’s the entire French amateur football community that is affected by this sudden loss, reminding us with a rare violence that sport, meant to be a place of joy and sharing, can sometimes be struck by the irreparable.
